The present invention relates to display devices, generally, and more specifically to display devices incorporating vibratory-rotary motion converters. These devices are known in the art, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,304 to Durley.
The display device disclosed in the Durley patent comprises a vibratory-rotary motion converter responsive to electrical signals received from an external sound source electrically connected to the device. The Durley device, however, has limitations inherent to its design and the now obsolete technology available at the time of its invention. The vibratory motion in the Durley device, for example, is not capable of being triggered by ambient sounds. Rather, electrical output from an external sound source must be attached to the device, or a sound source must be included within the device, to actuate the motion converter. Additionally, black light must be used to illuminate the display, thus making the device less attractive in relatively bright conditions. Finally, the rotary motion aspect of the Durley device is less than optimal in some applications, most especially when increasing the scale to make a larger version of the device, and when the device is used as a ceiling-mounted fixture. Since the time of Durley's patent, microprocessors have become readily available, and various improvements in both mechanical and electrical engineering have provided the means to improve upon the performance of the device as well as decrease the manufacturing cost.
Other display devices, such as the “Dancing Toy” variety exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,726 to Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,560 to Wetherell et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,903,424 and 5,090,936 to Satoh et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,249 to Sakurai, are known in the art to be able to respond to ambient noise, including music. None of these devices, however, incorporate a vibratory-rotary motion converter. While some of these devices comprise amplifier circuits, the amplifier circuits are not well-suited to driving a vibratory-rotary motion converter.